The Strength of Time

Most recently, music mogul Quincy Jones was added to Audemars Piguet’s grand list of brand ambassadors. Other stalwart notables include former President William J. Clinton, Shaquille O’Neal, and golf great Vijay Singh, with additional representatives in the worlds of art, cricket, golf, skiing, motor sports, sailing, and technology. Moreover, Audemars Piguet is continuing its branding efforts in the world of sailing through a sponsorship of the fastest sailing vessel in the world, L’Hydroptère.

The distinction of owning an Audemars Piguet timepiece has been made more valuable through the various relationships and marketing ploys made possible by the CEO. And the executive does not take these relationships lightly. “The relationships that I have with so many people now means I can go pretty much anywhere, out of respect for what we did together. If I give them a phone call, I’m going to see these people. That’s a real big thing.” These partnerships have helped the brand climb to its current position at the top of the luxury world. Of course, it also helps that an Audemars Piguet timepiece is not attainable by your average watch connoisseur. These are more than simple means of telling time; as any avid collector will tell you, an Audemars Piguet is an investment, much like a fine work of art.

What’s most important to Bennahmias, however, is remembering where he and the company came from. “Yes, I made the money. We made the money. We did great. But I never forget where we were,” he explains, so he is driven to give back. The company created a dedicated non-profit foundation for the conservation of forests in 1992 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Royal Oak collection. What’s more, when Audemars Piguet announced its latest partnership with Quincy Jones, the company contributed $1 million to The Quincy Jones Foundation. And, to date, Audemars Piguet has raised $8 million for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s charity, After-School All-Stars.

With no plans to slow down, we can all look forward to the next phase of Audemars Piguet under the direction of this genuine genius in the world of luxury and high-end goods. And what is next? “Umm, well, this I cannot really talk about, but the game is not over yet.”